Swansea beat Roma and Sevilla to £11.5million midfielder Roque Mesa from Las Palmas
Swans boss Paul Clement to make in-demand holding player his first summer signing in coming days
SWANSEA are close to signing Roque Mesa from Las Palmas.
The defensive midfielder has been linked with Italian giants Roma but the Welsh side have won the race for his signature.
A deal worth almost £11.5million is expected to be sealed this week.
Mesa, 28, played 35 La Liga games as his hometown club finished 14th in La Liga last season, netting one goal.
He was wanted by Sevilla last summer but a £7m was rejected by former boss Quique Setien.
The Spaniard later signed a new four-year deal at the Estadio Gran Canaria - with a £26.5m release clause.
But Mesa was promised the club would not stand in his way should a big club make a move this off-season.
And the Swans have now got him for less than half of that sum.
Mesa will be Paul Clement's first signing this summer.
Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham is expected to follow on loan later this week.
All you need to know about Roque Mesa... the Spanish Joe Allen
- Mesa was born in Telde, Gran Canaria but began his career with Levante on Spanish mainland
- Rejoined his hometown club Las Palmas in 2011 and helped seal La Liga promotion in 2015
- Stands at just 5ft 7in tall but puts himself about, earning 14 yellow cards last season
- Made 122 successful passes in one game last term - just three short of Xavi's all-time La Liga record
- Only Steven N'Zonzi completed more passes in La Liga last season
- But fans should not expect goals... he's netted just two in two years
Mesa's arrival could now pave way for Gylfi Sigurdsson to join Everton.
The Toffees failed with a £30m bid for the Icelandic international earlier this month.
But it is understood Swansea will do business if an offer of around £40m arrives.